stravinsky ostravinsky octet analysis koopsctet analysis koops

8/8/2019 Stravinsky OStravinsky Octet Analysis Koopsctet Analysis Koops

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Music 538b-Bob Moore

Stravinsky Octet

Stravinsky’s Octet is considered neoclassical while continuing to include many traits

developed in Symphonies of Wind Instruments. he piece is written in three movements! though

the second movement Tema con Variazioni leads directly into the third movement Finale without

a break. "hile one o# Stravinsky’s genius ideas in the Symphonies of Wind Instruments was his

use o# a $moment #orm%! the Octet balances traditional #orms and moment #orm! partially by

#ollowing pan-tonal schemes which keep listeners guessing and wondering where the music is

going! yet bringing back #amiliar motivic material in an ever developing and changing pattern.

his is one o# the salient aspects o# Stravinsky’s composition style. &s stated in class!

Stravinsky’s sense o# timing is impeccably right #or how o#ten to repeat a musical idea and how

much to change it when it is repeated. he balance o# chaos and order seems per#ect.

'n addition! Stravinsky’s music o#ten contrasts linear and non-linear (or static) musical

moments. Stravinsky loves $activated stasis%(as we discussed in class) where the #oreground has

continuous movement! but doesn’t #eel like it is going anywhere. 'n the middle-ground and

background there may or may not be linear movement. Stravinsky o#ten does include a #inal

cadence in each section o# music that re#erences traditional tonality giving listeners something to

hold on to i# they #elt a little lost in the #lowing sea during the course o# the music. he chorale

at the end o# the Finale de#initely leads to * ma+or.

Stravinsky uses a mi,ture o# traditional tonal and atonal harmonic language that includes

a lot o# modes and the octatonic scale. he opening movement suggests an -#lat dorian mode at

rehearsal ! while the ema con /ara0ione suggests an octatonic scale and the #inale ends in a


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Music 538b-Bob Moore 1ctet 2

de#inite * ma+or. he instrumentation choice is also noticeably all winds! similarly to the

Symphonies of Wind Instruments and the Symphony of Psalms (plus cello! bass and voice).

he Sinfonia seems to be neoclassic both by its title and construction. Stravinsky gives a

slow introduction #ollowed by the movement proper which is in uasi $&B*B&% #orm! as can be

seen below.

Chart 1 Sinfonia Form

m. -4 'ntro. 'ntro. art & alindrome

1r 'ntro6

&B*B&’

B #lat (/7 #lat)

eh.9 :low theme; scaler materials 'ntro. art B #lat dorian

2

3 ! B (with scaler cell material; Cumpy =evelopment 2 d; or gD

'nterlude (including triplet idea) #

2 B- #l! cl.! trbn! (arpeggio E; ostinato) &b

3 'nterlude (scaler! +umpy! arpeggio E) *; <

4 * Few theme 3 =; d

5 * e; #

@ (=) (scaler6+ump); B accompaniment;

#ragments o# &

More

development

2 d;


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m. 1-4

Example 1

"Quasi V/E flat"

'nterestingly he begins and ends the introduction with this chorale-like section that has a de#inite

linear uality leading to the B-#lat and he also ends the Finale with a chorale section that has a

linear descent to * ma+or.

Stravinsky introduces a #lowing theme that appears to go no-where! +ust alternating

between -#lat and :! but eventually traces out an -#lat =orian scale.

E flat Dorian=minor w/Raised 6th

1 (m. 5-12)Example 2

m. 5

Example 3 Flow

Reverse Flowm. 15

he sur#ace te,ture continues to be very #lowing (kinetic) throughout this introduction! but the

harmonic movement is actually uite static. Stravinsky uses a lot o# scaler ideas and arpeggios!

leaping motivic #ragments! ostinatos and and pedal points! all o# which prepare the listener #or

the rest o# the Octet .

Scaler Material-Heavily used through outcell 16.1

G major

X Arpegio Cell X Jumpy

m. 108

15.1

X =rhythm

he main theme begins at rehearsal @! with a de#inite #eeling o# the B-#lat seventh chord

acting as dominant to the -#lat downbeat.


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6 Theme A

Example 4

here is also a 3G2 tempo relationship which Stravinsky loves to doG e=76 to q H>4. heme &

is

repeated at rehearsal in canonic #ashion! then at rehearsal 8 it is #ragmented as it modulates

through =-#lat ma+or and ma+or and lands in = ma+or at rehearsal . Stravinsky lightens the

te,ture and dynamics at rehearsal 8! so when the #ull ensemble comes in again at rehearsal it is

an e,citing moment. &dditionally Stravinsky adds an o##beat echo to the main theme creating an

e,citing new twist to theme & that keeps the listener intrigued.

& d-minor scaler passage leads to theme B $cantabile tranuilo% at rehearsal > in the

#irst trumpet. he bassoons have an accompaniment with obvious < ma+or arpeggios! while

trumpet two plays a motive that predicts the * theme.

10 Theme B

Example 5

G major

X Arpegio Cell

Trpt. 2 Rhythm X

ehearsal acts as a brie# interlude be#ore restating the B theme in the trombone! clarinet and

#lute at 2. &t 3 emphasi0es the E arpeggio cell on * ma+or all the while retaining scaler

material that is derived #rom the original theme &.


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13 m. 87

16 m. 112

m. 46 (similar to 44, 45)6

7 m. 51

&t 4 Stravinsky states heme * boldly in the clarinet! emphasi0ing the E-rhythm! beginning in

a = tonal center! evolving into B-#lat ma+or arpeggios! passing through g-minor and arriving in

an minor mode at 5. he key changes make sense in that they are #ollowing third

relationships! but they don’t #ollow tradition harmonic pulls. he chromatically twisting theme!

repeated at 5! is similar to the kind o# chromatic themes that Bartok composes.

14 theme C (clarinet)

Example 6

ehearsal @ does not contain theme B but it does have similar traits to rehearsal > and 2

including the E-arpeggio cells and ostinatos. 1ne o# the salient composition tricks Stravinsky

uses here is to take the initial descent I!=!*!BJ built #rom the original & theme and use it to

structure a beauti#ul descent over the ne,t #our measures in the bassoon and clarinet. Stravinsky

brings out the I=! *! BJ descent with accents in the bassoon part. &t rehearsal ? we hear yet

again at the e,act pitches! but two octaves higher. Stravinsky #reuently uses this techniue

which helps give great structural integrity.

ehearsal ? acts as another interlude including a similar #igure taken #rom 3 shown

below as well as the triplet clarinet #igure #rom rehearsal .


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Music 538b-Bob Moore 1ctet @

13 (m. 93)

17 M. 119

similar cells

heme B returns at 8! alternating with theme * in a per#ectly timed dialogue! segueing right

into #ragments o# theme & at ! treated in canon! preparing us #or the #ull return o# theme & in

the original key at 2. ehearsal 22 o##ers a uasi-stretto section #ollowing a similar patten to

what was originally set up in rehearsals ?-8. he #inal statement o# theme & at 23 in -#lat is

per#ectly timed with a canonic treatment that syncs up on a #inal beat a#ter glorious measures!

ending solidly on -#lat ma+or. he alterations o# meter throughout the movement o##er the sense

o# timeless #low that is magical and contribute to the beauti#ul dichotomy o# kinetic and static

movement.

'n the Tema con Variazione Stravinsky uses an incomplete octatonic scale! and begins

with the K>34L tetra-chord! both o# which he also used e,tensively in Symphony of Psalms. he

#orm is obvious because o# the theme and variations #ormat! though each individual variation has

its own uniue #orm.

*hart 2G Tema con Variazioni #orm

eh. 9 Section label =escription-rehearsal 9’s- ey7tonality7centricity

24-2@ heme 1ctatonic7d minor; = ma+or 2@-28 /ariation & Scales #ollowing 1ctatonic theme; d! *!=!b!B!b lydian! A=!d!# dorian

28-3 /ariation B ; 2HH=! &! (& acts /7 = #or return o# variation &)

3-33 /ariation & d

33-38 /ariation * ("alt0) a7g; =A

38-4 /ariation = & A42 =A.43 :!eo! b!c!A 44-


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Music 538b-Bob Moore 1ctet ?

he octatonic #eel is strong because o# the initial tetrachord! but it is interesting to note that these

notes are also contained in the = melodic minor scale. he accompaniment begins in d minor

contrasting the #eel o# & ma+or in the melody (&-*9). he $ema% itsel# can be divided into

#our motivic ideas as seen aboveG &!B!*! and =! and an arch #orm $&B&% where the theme

is #irst heard in the #lute and clarinet (high range voices) in = minor7& octatonic! then contrasted

with a B section in * ma+or! trumpet 2 (middle range voice)! and ending in a return to the

original key with the theme in the trombone (low range voice).


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/ariation & simply takes the theme and add scales above each o# the given notes o# the

theme. he theme is transposed so it begins on =! and the #irst scale played above the = root is

a = melodic minor scale. he second note is a B-#lat in the theme! so Stravinsky gives us a B-#lat

Nydian scale. /ariation & theme begins in the trombone and #ollows the original theme in its

pitch organi0ation! though the e,act rhythms are changed. &t rehearsal 2? the trumpets! #lute!

and clarinet take over the melody. he ending coming in two measures be#ore 28 is altered to

make a smooth transition to variation B.

24 Tema

(tonic "d"...d,f,a,c#)(octotonic scale pattern)

TA TBTC

TD

TTm. 3rd

26 Ribbons of scales -Variation A 27 Change

25 Trpt. II

TA (transposed "T3") TD

TT m.3

TC.2

Back to original Pitch

T D

TT m. 3

*changechanged( similar contour)

m. 3 m. 3

28

E major

/ariation B o##ers a needed contrast in its light bouncy character. he #orm is basically

structured around the original $ema% #orm. he opening two measures o# accompaniment try to

hide the rhythmic pulse! so when the trumpet enters with the melody it is a nice surprise. he

theme begins clearly with the original ma+or third head motive &! but it is developed with new


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Music 538b-Bob Moore 1ctet

variations! modulations and rhythmic twists. 't still contains each o# the core elements o# the

$tema% including &! B! *! and =! though = is altered.

24 Tema


TA TBTC

TD

TTm. 3rd

28 Var. B

(Quasi-Dominant- E major)

(Trpt. II)(Transposed up a fifth)

trumpet/flute29

clarinet(Transposed down a M. 2nd)

(Var. B continued)transposed up a m.2nd

29 Tumpet I

25 Trpt. II


TT m.3

TC.2


T D

TT m. 3

30 Trpt.

Head Motive-(Tritone distance from original C#-A)!

Stravinsky shows o## instruments in pairsG #lute and clarinet! bassoons! trumpets! and trombones.

he bassoon ostinato at 2 and trumpets dialogue at 3> are e,amples o# this and the creative and

master#ul writing Stravinsky continually produces.

/ariation & (3-33) is brought back and transitions directly into /ariation *. he #lute

begins a solo which is clearly related to &! but then it #lourishes around in a way that covers the


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Music 538b-Bob Moore 1ctet >

pitches used in B! *! and =! but it is di##icult to point out e,act connections. he #lute solo

acts as introduction that is #ollowed at 34 with the trumpet 2 and clarinet stating the $tema%. he

rest o# the variation #ollows the basic #orm set in the $tema%. &t rehearsal 35 the clarinet and

bassoon become static while bassoon 2 has an interesting chromatic ascent and descent which

serves as a bridge section leading to the continuation o# the $tema%. &t 3?! to conclude the

variation and transition to the ne,t variation! bassoon two has a bass descent line leading to &

ma+or and bassoon 2 also sets some motivic and rhythmic patterns that #oreshadow the upcoming

music.

24 Tema


TA TBTC

TD

TTm. 3

Fl. 33

Trpt. 34

Var. C TA

Clarinet, m. 273-275TB (7 m. after 34)

Trpt. 2 (10 after 34)

TC

TT- m.3

TD

25 Trpt. II


TT m.3

TC.2


T D

TTm. 3

2 m. before 36 TATB

TD

TT - m. 3 37

Stravinsky decides wisely to skip placing variation & be#ore /ariation =! upsetting the

pattern previously established! but keeping the listener #rom getting tired o# variation &.


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Music 538b-Bob Moore 1ctet

/ariation = can be viewed as a passacaglia and begins with an ostinato $ground-bass% pattern in

the clarinet and bassoons that can be seen below.

38 'ntro;

ground- bass

S on a t a

G 'ntroductionG =>! =! =2! =3! =4! =>! =! =>

*hromatic descent(Bssn.')Bb-&-!=!=2!=3! D0,D1,D2,D3) & ma+or71ctatonicOema Poriginal pitch level

4 2. h e m e 2

$Brilliante%; (D4! =2! =3)

(: ma+or-*l. O=-= chromatic lineardescent)

& ma+or- 1stinato -(= ma+. ?) (&ugmented Syncopated

hythm! and e,tended in *l.)

= ?

42 2.3cont’d

Brilliant nding (2 measures) #l. hands o## to bssn. . Bssn.2 reverses rhythm #rom cl.P 4

eminiscent o# *! But chromatically altered

=?;2 a#ter 42Hcadence to : leads to ne,t

section5bars

b4-43

Soli

= =2 =3 =4 (bssns. only) : ma+or

43 3. =>= => =>! =! =2! =3! =4 Brilliant 3

:---------e> b

riplet plus brilliant variation

rbns have Ma+. 3rd ostinato O(+ust like &)

:! e dim! b ma+.

44 3.2 riplet plus brilliant variation continued

=> =2 =>----

= =2

& ma+or----------------a minor

&! a

4@ 4. *antabile /ariation-solo #lute! similar to 42!plus brilliant

tripletsQ(eminiscent o# ema; also reminiscent o# st mvt.eh. 92!3!4)

=3 =4 =3 =4-RR-=> => = =3

& ma+or and & minor

4? .3

(or 5)

8 e c a p

& (obvious uote in trpt. ! similar to 3)

=> = =2 =3 =4(cl7bssn) --- => = =2 =3-trpts7trb.

(only time gr-bass theme not played by bssn)

&7 1ctatonic Oema Poriginal pitch

48 Soli

= =2 =3-(trpts7trb. )

=> = =2 =3 =4-(end is bssns again)

1verlap o# assacalia ground bass theme; o##set bystarting in the middle o# the bar

& (sounds like dominant to =! which

is the ne,t down beat-/ariation &!

4)


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he #orm could be labeled in several ways including a mini-sonata style #orm! but it makes the

most sense to label it as a passacaglia variations #orm. Stravinsky liked revisiting #orms and

characteristics #rom earlier music such as the passacaglia #orm! and that is partly why his music

is called $neo-classical%.


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he middle variation materials include e,citing #lourishes o# si,teenth notes alternating with

triplet ideas. he chart also shows the harmonic motion #rom & ma+or through various keys and

back to & ma+or which #inally ends as dominant to the #ollowing /ariation &.

:rom 4 through 5 we hear /ariation & #or the #inal time! identical e,cept #or the last

measure! which is ad+usted so as to prepare /ariation . his variation is a #ugato based on a

sub+ect that clearly derives #rom the original tema parts & and =! and vaguely #rom parts B

and *! as can be seen below.

24 Tema


TA TB

TC

TD

TTm. 3rd

51 Variation E. "fugato"

TA

symetrical!

TD

Stravinsky is very creative not only in using octave displacement to create new sounds on the

same old theme! but he also is #ree with his use o# repeating notes to get +ust the right amount o#

e,pectation and surprise #rom his listeners. Ue pieces together the sub+ect in a very balanced and

symmetrical way! switching one note here and there to create an intriguing line as can be seen in

the e,ample below.


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he #ugato is based on an octatonic theme! and Stravinsky! as a #ine cra#tsman! tailors the end o#

the initial sub+ect to include the notes B #lat! ! and

used in the real answer beginning in the clarinet. he two octatonic scales can be seen side by

side below.

Stravinsky gives us two statements o# the sub+ect and answer! each time thickening the te,ture by

adding more instruments and more counter point. :ive measures a#ter 53 an episode begins

which is more #ree and chromatic in nature! modulating and very intense in dissonance. his

builds to a climactic section at two measures be#ore 54 and then #inally leads to a statement o#

the initial sub+ect at three a#ter 54. Some o# the imitation #ound around rehearsal 54 is similar to

the imitations #ound at rehearsal 4 in the #irst movement! though in this #ugato the harmonic

tensions are very high. he #orm chart below shows the development o# this little #ugue

variation.


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he :inale comes right out o# the end o# /ariation in a brilliant and smooth transition in

the bassoons (his octet must be considered one o# the ultimate pieces #or bassoonists).

Stravinsky begins with an arpeggio theme accompanied by the * ma+or scale. "hat is

interesting is that he treats the scale independently o# the theme! in what must be building on

renaissance principals o# iso-rhythmic motets in which the melodic and rhythmic elements are

treated separately. Uere the scale begins and ends at di##erent times then the melody! but it is not

the least concern because it is independent o# harmonic pulls developed in the Baroue and

classical period. he scales simply run their course in the initially set pattern repeating until the

section o# music is complete. he #orm #ollows a ondo #orm or might be called a seudo

rondo! as the chart below shows. &s was seen in Symphonies o# "ind 'nstruments! the sections

could come in another orderQ$moment #orm%Qe,cept #or the #inal chorale is the per#ect ending

and must come last


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Music 538b-Bob Moore 1ctet @

Beginning heme &; * scale underneath * ma+or

m. 45(2 m. b4 58)

epeat & * ma+or

58 (m. 4@) *larinet enters with scale work

5 & variation * ma+or scale; d minor at 4?3

@> & =::9&

@ ransition #or two measures

heme B

&

: scale! * scale!:! =?Ad!e!d!:!

= mi,olydian

@2

m. 5>8

4 measure interlude; ostinato like Bssn. 2;

eturn o# heme & *

@3 *larinet +oins as be#ore *

@4 *ontinues as be#ore! but with a change 2 be#ore @5 *@5 heme & in rpt. = #lat

@@ heme *H* hrygian scale in cl. :ollowed by leaps;1stinatos in cl. Bssn.

* hrygian

@? heme *.2 in trpts.; cl. H chromatic variation BbAB nat.

@8 heme *.2(reverse o# @?) #l. 6 *l. B minorA

@ heme &’heme *.2 in diminution (very chromatic)

c minor

?> heme &’ rpt. 2

heme *.2 bssn

e minor

? heme & #ragments =; b;

?2 *horale idea introduced; all rising motion in various lines b

?3 *horale -descent to =

-related to heme & through * ma+or descent and arpeggios!augmented

:?

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